Halter-trimming



(No Model.)

M. B. BOWLI-N.

HALTER TRIMMING.

Patented Jan HWE/YTOP R. FUEHSY Vhuwume m hor, mama-wan, DJ;

l-Unrrn Srarns Parenr raise,

MARSHALL R.

DOVVLIX, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSAGHUSETTS.

HALTER-TRIMMING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 356,627, dated January25, 1887.

Application filed-January 11, 1886. Serial No. 188,161. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MnnsHALL R. DOWLIN, a citizen of the UnitedStatearcsiding atNorth Adams, Berkshire county, Massachusetts,haveinvented certain new and useful Improve ments in Halters and Harness, ofwhich the following is a specification,

llly invention applies more particularly to the fitting or constructionnth-alters, but may also be applied to other articles of harness orSaddlery.

The chief object of my invention is to provide a metallic fitting whichwill serve to connect two or more straps at a common meeting orradiating point, and at the correct angles, without stitching orrivets,as heretofore used, and which will also allow a certainadjustment of the straps, and also to conceal the meeting ends of thestraps.

My invention relates to that class of fittings which consist of a platemade with a series of arms radiating therefrom at the desired angles atwhich the straps are to be attached,said radiating arms being formed asbuckles toreceive the straps, either in the form of common buckles witha hin ed tongue or in the form of stud-buckles" with a fixed spur, intowhich buckle-arms may be looped, the pen l'orated straps therebyfastening several radiating straps together in one central fitting atthe desired angles without stitches, rivets, or other fastenings.

In my improvement I make the fitting with a blank hollowed center,fromwhich the buckling-arms diverge, so that the ends of the straps meetunder said blank center and are concealed thereby, whereas heretoforethe buckling-arms have all been closely connected togethcr without anyblank center to conceal the meeting ends of the straps.

In the drawings herewith annexecLFigure 1 presents a perspective View ofa halter embodying my improvements, Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation ofone of the improved connecting fittings detached from the straps. 3 is avertical section of the same on line :1; cc with the straps in place.

In Fi l the general form of the halter is about the same as usual, andcontains the usual straps, a being the head-strap; f f, cheekstraps; c,the nose-band; d, the chin-strap, and Z: the throat-strap. g is thehitching d, while the fittings B B strap or halter-stale, and e thegullet-pieee connecting the straps d D. liow, commonly the severalstraps are bound together at their points of intersection orconvergence, and secured by stitching or rivets; but in lieu of thismode of fastening I provide the metallic fittings A B B at the saidpoints of convergence, in which the straps are received and secured in asimple manner, as will now appear. The fittingsA A are placed at theintersection of the cheeks ff with the nose and chin straps c aresituated at the convergence of the head-strap (a, cheek-straps f, andthroatstrap I). These fittings A B B consist of light plates or castingshaving a series of looped buckling-arms, It It, radiating from thecenter in directions corresponding to the direction of the convergingstraps to be connected together, and each looped arm is provided with across-bar, i1, having a projecting spur or tongue, 21:. The central partof the plate is iniperlorate or blank, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, andhollow or concave on the under side, as seen in Fig. 3, and the slottedorlooped arms h hare slightly curved or bowed. inward, the prongedcross-bar i it being at the center of the bow, as seen in Fig. 3.

Now,the straps of the halter or other harness which are to be fastenedtogether are perforated at one or more points near their fastening ends,and are then looped through the slotted arms of the fittings in themanner of a strap in a buckle,and are caught on the prongs k, as fullyshown in Fig. 3, the inner end of the strap being received in andconcealed by the hollowed center of the fitting, as seen in Fig. 3,thereby fastening the straps together in a central fittingin a verysimple and secure manner, as will be readily appreciated on reference toFigs. land 2. By this meansit will be noted that no stitching, rivets,or other fixed fastenings are used to connect the straps, and nobindings around the meeting ends of the straps, as usual, and yet thestraps are joined together in a quicker, stronger, and simpler manner,expensive and which improve the appearance of the harness, thuspresenting important advantages. I

By perforating the straps with a series of holes at short intervals theymay be adjusted in or out in the fittings likea strap in a buckle,

and by means which are less.

and thus which the fittings are used, which is a great advantage overthe fixed fastenings heretofore used, andit will be seen that the blankcenter of the fittings covers and concealsthe meeting ends of thestraps, and allows an adjustment,

0f the straps I over each other, and thereby protects the ends of thestraps and prevents their curving or curling out of place. i

-In Fig.1 itwill be seen thatth'e arms of the fittings A A lie at rightangles, while the arms of the fittings B B lie at oblique angles 'tocorrespond with thc:directi0ns of th e straps to be connected, and thisinclination of the arms will of course vary in each case acc0rdingto thedirection of the straps, as willbe nn 7 derstood. One of the arms on thefitting Bfis madewitha common buckle, m, whichisl in tegral with thefitting, and in which the free end of the head-strapa is receivechsothat said strap may: be let in or out through the buckle,

to increase or decrease the length of the strap and better fit thehalter to the head of the horserin thensualway, as will be understood.If desired, however, all the arms of the fittings may, befornied withcommon hinged tongned buckles--snch as m i nstead of the stndbuckle I 7provide for variations in the length of the parts of the halter or otherharness in he k, with its fixed spur i; but in mostcases I preferthe'stud-bnckles h t k, as will be easily appreciated.

.I prefer to make the fittings A BB andthe I gnllet-piece eof lightmalleable-iron castings tinned or enameled; but'the'y may bestamped fromsheet metal or made of any other suitable material.

' As before described, the improved fittings A B B may be applied toother articles of saddlery or harness as well as to halters,wher-' evertheymaybe found suitable in the con? mention of straps or bands, withoutany departure from my invention.

\Vhat I claim is- A halter constructed with a fitting such as'A"B,;arranged at the meeting-points of the straps,having theradialbncklingarms h,with

cross-bars i and spurs k, with which the straps engage,and having ablank center, from which said arms diverge, and which coversand'conceals the meeting ends of the straps, substantially as shown anddescribed.

MARSHALL R. DOWLIN;

Vi tn esses:

' A. D. CADY,

EDsoN M. Hones.

